Are Bouncy Castles Noisy?
When you have been to a birthday party with a bouncy castle you will know the sound of children's laughter and running and jumping around can get quite loud. But is the noise level of bouncy castles louder? Bouncy castles have become very popular for kids' parties, and parents are sometimes concerned about how much noise children are exposed to. So, let's take a look at what science has to say about the decibel levels of bouncy castles and how they compare to the other activities.
Overview Of Noise Levels
Noise is measured in decibels, the louder is the higher up the scale of decibels it is. A very small increase in decibels can result in a large increase in loudness. Every increase in decibel is like someone turning up the volume control. A 10 decibel increase is twice as loud, and a 20 decibel increase is four times louder! The level of noise a person is exposed to depends on the volume of the noise source, the distance between the noise source and the person and the amount of time spent in the noise. The human ear is sensitive to all sounds. When we talk about noise, we're referring to loud, sudden noises. These are impulse noises, and they make up most of the noises we hear in our daily lives. Although impulse noises come in many forms, they all have one thing in common: they are sudden and short in duration.
How Loud Is A Bouncy Castles
The question of how noisy the blower or fan is on a bouncy castle is is a popular conversation among parents. If you're wanting to make a decision about whether to let your child play on on a inflatable, will numbers on a decibel scale be enough to help you decide? As the numbers probably don't mean anything on there own. It would be easier to compare to activities in your daily life. But first, let's look at how bouncy castles are rated. Most bouncy castles are classified as "a moderate noise level", between 75 and 89 decibels. You've probably heard a decibel level compared to the sound of a jet plane. But the sound of a jet plane is actually a lot lower than you might think. The roaring sound of a plane is around 120 decibels. That's roughly 4 times louder than the noise of a moderately loud bouncy castle. So, the answer to the question "how loud are bouncy castles?" is: moderately loud.
Decibel Levels of Other Activities
We've already looked at how the decibel level of a jet plane compares to the a blower or fan on a bouncy castle. But how does a bouncy castles compared to other activities? Would you believe that bouncing on a trampoline is louder than jumping on a pogo stick!? The sound of a moderate-noise bouncy castle is about the same as:
- hammering nails,
- a jackhammer,
- mowing the lawn,
- a power saw,
- a washing machine,
- a food blender,
- a vacuum cleaner,
- a noisy restaurant.
Most kids spend time every day on activities that are noisier than bouncing on a moderately-noise bouncy castle. Playing at home or in a schoolyard, riding a scooter, or playing in a pickup game of basketball are all examples of activities that are noisier than bouncing on a bouncy castle.
Conclusion
Noise levels at bouncy castles are relatively moderate, but that doesn't mean that your child is immune to hearing damage. If you are concerned, wearing ear protection like ear plugs or ear muffs will help protect your child's hearing and their sensitive ears from damage caused by loud sounds. However, the noise of the fan is often drowned out buy the noise of kids screaming with fun and excitement as well as the music that is playing. While at first when the fan is turned on you will notice the noise, very soon it will be tuned out and you will not notice it.
If you like to hire a Bouncy Castles or Soft Play in Hastings, Bexhill, Eastbourne or Battle then please visit our website at www.sosoftplay.co.uk to see our range of products and party Packages.
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